Ataxia News and Research

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Ataxia is a neurological sign and symptom that consists of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying disfunction of the parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum.

Study identifies 36 risk genes for OCD and tic disorders

A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.

1 Sep 2026

Study reveals why rare neurological disease damages specific brain regions

Many neurological diseases damage specific parts of the brain, even though the harmful protein involved is present throughout the brain.

20 Jul 2026

Review links iron-dependent cell death to pathogenesis of Friedreich's Ataxia

Published in the open-access journal Ferroptosis and Oxidative Stress, the review by Giovanni Cravin and Giorgio Cozza from the University of Padua examines the growing evidence linking ferroptosis to the pathogenesis of Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA), a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive neurological decline, cardiomyopathy, and premature mortality.

30 Jun 2026

Neuroscience research questions traditional markers for cerebellar movement disorders

A new finding by a Virginia Tech neuroscientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is challenging the way investigators study chronic neurological disorders such as dystonia, ataxia, and tremor.

22 Jun 2026

Novel gene therapy appears to be safe for Friedreich ataxia cardiomyopathy

A new gene therapy appears to be safe in patients diagnosed with Friedreich ataxia cardiomyopathy, a progressive and fatal inherited cardiac disease, according to a phase 1 clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.

17 Jun 2026

Genetic testing finds breast cancer risks that standard screening models miss

Population-based pathogenic variant testing identified breast cancer susceptibility gene carriers who would often be missed by clinical risk models, even when polygenic risk scores were added. In the WISDOM Study analysis, fewer than 1% of high-penetrance variant carriers would have received the same high-risk screening recommendation using clinical plus polygenic risk alone.

1 Jun 2026

Disrupted circadian rhythms may accelerate dementia-related brain inflammation

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias impact approximately 55 million people worldwide, including 7.2 million cases in the United States alone.

13 May 2026

Researchers uncover nuclear organization mechanism linked to Friedreich's ataxia

Researchers have uncovered a fundamental rule that governs how genes are physically arranged inside the cell nucleus, and how disruptions to that organization can contribute to human disease.

12 May 2026

Aston University bioscientist receives £125,000 to investigate genetic reasons for neurodegeneration

Aston University bioscientist Dr John Reynolds has won a £125,000 Springboard grant from the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) for research into neurodegeneration caused by a rare genetic disease.

15 Apr 2026

Researchers identify CD99L2 gene as a cause of spastic ataxia

Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic cause of most rare movement disorders remains unclear.

17 Mar 2026

CIRM awards $7.4 million to advance stem cell-based gene therapy for Friedreich's ataxia

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded $7.4 million to support a University of California San Diego team developing a first-of-its-kind stem cell-based gene therapy for Friedreich's ataxia, a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive loss of coordination, muscle strength, heart function and overall mobility.

8 Jan 2026

Doctors warn about cardiovascular dangers from excessive energy drink use

Downing several strong energy drinks every day may pose a serious stroke risk, doctors have warned in the journal BMJ Case Reports, after treating an otherwise fit and healthy man in his 50s with a daily 8-can habit and exceedingly high blood pressure.

9 Dec 2025

Scientists uncover why SETX-deficient cancer cells rely on error-prone DNA repair

The DNA inside our cells is constantly being damaged, and one of the worst kinds of damage is a double-strand break-when both sides of the DNA helix are cut at once.

4 Dec 2025

Arginine slows amyloid buildup and improves brain outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease models

Arginine reduced amyloid beta aggregation in vitro and in both Drosophila and AppNL-G-F mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, leading to fewer dense-core plaques and improved behavior. The study provides preclinical evidence that oral arginine may modulate amyloid pathology, although high dosing requirements and model limitations constrain human translation.

24 Nov 2025